What are values
Values are the deepest desires of your heart about how you want to behave as a human being. They are not about what you want to get or achieve, but about how you want to act on an ongoing basis.
There are hundreds of values; here are the most common ones. Not all of them will matter to you, and there are no right or wrong values. It is like our taste in pizza: if you like ham and pineapple and I prefer salami and olives, neither of us is wrong — we simply have different tastes.
How it works
- The values are dealt out over five screens — about 12 cards on each.
- On each screen, pick two values that matter most to you and two that matter least.
- Everything you mark as “most important” is collected into ten values.
- From those ten, you choose your top five.
Your own value (optional)
If a value that matters to you is not on the list, add it — it will go into the deck.
Show all values as a list
- Acceptance
- To be open to and accepting of myself, others, life, etc.
- Adventure
- To be adventurous; to actively seek, create, or explore new or exciting experiences.
- Assertiveness
- To respectfully stand up for my rights and ask for what I want.
- Authenticity
- To be authentic, genuine, real; to be true to myself.
- Beauty
- To appreciate, create, nurture, or cultivate beauty in myself, others, the environment, etc.
- Caring
- To be caring toward myself, others, the environment, etc.
- Challenge
- To keep challenging myself to grow, learn, and improve.
- Compassion
- To act with kindness toward those who are suffering.
- Connection
- To engage fully in what I am doing and to be fully present with other people.
- Contribution
- To contribute, help, assist, or make a positive difference to myself or others.
- Conformity
- To respect and follow rules and obligations.
- Cooperation
- To be willing to work and interact with other people.
- Courage
- To be courageous or brave; to persist in the face of fear, threat, or difficulty.
- Creativity
- To be creative or innovative.
- Curiosity
- To be curious, open, and interested; to explore and discover new things.
- Encouragement
- To encourage and reward behavior that I value in myself or others.
- Equality
- To treat others as equal to myself, and vice versa.
- Excitement
- To seek, create, and take part in activities that are exciting, inspiring, or thrilling.
- Fairness
- To be fair to myself or others.
- Fitness
- To maintain or improve my physical fitness; to look after my physical and mental health and well-being.
- Flexibility
- To adjust and adapt easily to changing circumstances.
- Freedom
- To live freely; to choose how I live and behave, or to help others do the same.
- Friendliness
- To be friendly, sociable, or agreeable toward other people.
- Forgiveness
- To be forgiving toward myself or others.
- Fun
- To be fun-loving; to seek, create, and take part in fun-filled activities.
- Generosity
- To be generous, sharing, and giving, to myself or others.
- Gratitude
- To be grateful for and appreciate the positive aspects of myself, others, and life.
- Honesty
- To be honest, truthful, and sincere with myself and others.
- Humor
- To see and appreciate the humorous side of life.
- Humility
- To be modest or humble; to let my achievements speak for themselves.
- Industry
- To be hardworking, diligent, and dedicated.
- Independence
- To be self-reliant and choose my own ways of solving problems.
- Intimacy
- To open up, reveal, and share myself — emotionally or physically — in my close personal relationships.
- Justice
- To uphold justice and fairness.
- Kindness
- To be kind, compassionate, considerate, nurturing, or caring toward myself or others.
- Love
- To act with love or affection toward myself or others.
- Mindfulness
- To be aware, open, and curious about my experience here and now.
- Order
- To be disciplined and organized.
- Open-mindedness
- To think things through, look at things from other points of view, and weigh evidence fairly.
- Patience
- To wait calmly for what I want.
- Persistence
- To keep going resolutely despite problems or difficulties.
- Pleasure
- To create and give pleasure to myself or others.
- Power
- To have strong influence or authority over others, for example by taking charge, leading, or organizing.
- Reciprocity
- To build relationships with a fair balance of giving and taking.
- Respect
- To show respect to myself or others; to be polite, considerate, and positive in my regard.
- Responsibility
- To be responsible and answerable for my actions.
- Romance
- To be romantic; to show and express love or strong affection.
- Safety
- To secure, protect, or ensure the safety of myself or others.
- Self-awareness
- To be aware of my own thoughts, feelings, and actions.
- Self-care
- To look after my health and well-being and meet my own needs.
- Self-development
- To keep growing, developing, or improving in knowledge, skills, character, or life experience.
- Self-control
- To act in accordance with my own ideals.
- Sensuality
- To create, explore, and enjoy experiences that stimulate the five senses.
- Sexuality
- To explore or express my sexuality.
- Spirituality
- To connect with something larger than myself.
- Skillfulness
- To keep practicing and improving my skills and to apply myself fully when using them.
- Support
- To be supportive, helpful, encouraging, and available to myself or others.
- Trust
- To be trustworthy; to be loyal, faithful, sincere, and reliable.